Incredible totals in the Sierra where Powderchasers has been for the past 2 days. The grand finale came Saturday night with 2-3 feet in a short amount of time for the Lake Level (5PM to 4AM). We woke up to nearly 25 inches on our cars at 4AM. Ski areas had up to 2-3 feet overnight on top of a foot that fell on Saturday.
Below
Storm totals in the Sierra are as follows with a bit more since the report.
Boreal: 60 inches
Mt Rose: 45 inches
Sugar Bowl: 47 inches
Northstar: 45 inches
Mammoth: 21-30 inches (Still snowing).
Palisades is claiming 35 inches in 24 hours is in their 6th largest ever snow totals in such a short amount of time. I can testify waking up this morning with 2 feet plus on my car at 4AM. Luckily we have snow tires from out sponsor The Tire Rack that enabled me to manual clutch my VW through a 5 foot plow drift in the parking lot.
Below: Powderchaser Luke (Forecaster) at Palisades this morning. Photo: @powderchasersteve
Let's give a shout out to one of our sponsors Selkirk Powder Guides where up to 25 inches fell in the past several days. Check out their cat and snowmobile backcountry which has access to good terrain and elevation. Reports from northern Idaho were epic. Sun Valley as we forecasted also had decent totals with 11 overnight into Sunday and 8-10 previously. New terrain will likely open Monday.
Our chase took us from Palisades Saturday (Most terrain remained closed) and back Sunday (All lifts remained closed). We even snuck in a few runs at Sugar Bowl on Saturday that were creamy. Sunday was the ultra deep day with 2-3 feet of light density powder! Sugar Bowl was on our afternoon target and about to open some steeper terrain before we got the word \"We will not be opening our upper mountain lifts\". Sometimes, chasing powder takes the wrong turn. I often say \"If you chase deep storms expect the best or worst day of your life\" So far we are 0/2. It happens! Looking back it would have been great to caught pow in the PNW Friday, Sun Valley Saturday/Sunday/ and back in Tahoe for Monday. Chasing powder is very frustrating some times.
Below: Avalanche danger kept many resorts closed on Sunday. You know the feeling of staring up at 50 inches of untouched powder right as you head back to the car. There were multiple large avalanches during mitigation on Sunday.
The week ahead is very exciting for the Rockies as a slow moving trough makes its way over the Rockies. SW flow will push into Utah Sunday night with 8-12 inches for your first turns on Monday for the Wasatch range. Winds will be strong early Sunday evening but ease as a cold front enters Utah. The heaviest snow will fall from Sunday evening to around 3AM Monday. S, SW winds could sneak up some higher totals for Park City, DV, or BCC. Monday will see a decrease in snow by 3 AM (Light snow continuing) that picks up again late Monday into Tuesday under weak NW flow. Orographic's (light winds from the W, NW) will be on the weak side but it's likely another 4-7 inches will fall from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning in the Wasatch range, primarily in the Cottonwoods. Ride Monday and Tuesday. Monday might be deeper.
Below: You can see the snow filling into regions of Wyoming, Utah and Colorado from Sunday night with the map ending on Wednesday night. This could deliver healthy totals over the 3 day period. Even Arizona grabs snow as well as Southern Utah.
Sun Valley continues to see snow showers Sunday night (1-4) that teases the Tetons Monday with 3-7 inches (Light continuous snow through Monday). Not a big dump.
In Colorado, the best chases might be found in the southern mountains for storm skiing Monday into Tuesday morning (5-10). Aim for last chair Monday or first chair Tuesday in the southern mountains. Moisture from the southern mountains pushes into the the central and northern mountains late Monday to Tuesday with 5-10 inches for 1st chairs along I-70 and south to Crested Butte. Models hint at higher amounts for the Front Range mountains north of I-70 (Winter Park) and Steamboat. Snow will increase again Tuesday night into late Wednesday for Colorado which looks to be a significant event primarily along or north of I-70. WP, but especially the Boat might reap 12-20 weekly totals with more powder turns Wednesday/Thursday. The I-70 corridor, especially near Vail Pass might reap some decent rewards under NW flow and orographic snow showers mid to late week. You might be able to score multiple powder days in Colorado next week. Start south and head north after Monday or Tuesday morning. Keep riding through Thursday.
Wish us luck over the next few days chasing storms. If you want the deepest runs of the season join our Concierge program (Trip planning, Mountains that will be deep, custom forecasting). If you simply want to support Powderchasers with a donation please click here.
Powderchaser Steve
